The General Assembly's human rights committee voted 116-15 with 49 abstentions in favour of the draft resolution on Tuesday. It is virtually certain to be adopted when the assembly votes next month.

The draft resolution demands that Syrian authorities "immediately put an end to all indiscriminate attacks, including those involving the use of terror tactics, air strikes, barrel and vacuum bombs, incendiary weapons, chemical weapons and heavy artillery".

It "deplores and condemns in the strongest terms" widespread human rights violations by the Syrian government.

The draft calls for a ceasefire by all parties, saying this "is essential to achieve a political solution".